Betty and I returned from our Southern California trip on Wednesday evening. Thank you for your prayers during our visits to my brother’s family in San Diego and my friends in theological education and Inheritance Magazine. I felt rejuvenated by the stimulating conversations about the future of Asian American Christians.

So what about that future? The people I chatted with had a very guarded and cautious optimism. While Asian American Christians are gaining recognition as leaders within American Christianity, there is a need for renewal – especially among East Asians (Koreans, Taiwanese, Chinese, and Japanese). This group is the best educated and wealthiest Asian Americans. Yet they are materialistic, narcissistic, consumerist, and seekers of convenience, comfort, good food, and entertainment – in short, conformists “to the patterns of this world” (Romans 12:2). And these are just the Christians! This does not bode well for the future of the Christian movement in America, let alone Asian America.

The renewal that is needed is not just in prayer and worship. Although these are very important, they can be merely outward and performative forms of spirituality. Rather, Asian Americans (both immigrant and American-born) need what Paul calls the renewing of the mind.

Don’t confuse this type of renewal with the acquisition of biblical or theological knowledge. Too many Asian American Christians act like having knowledge of correct doctrine is enough. So they diligently follow popular teachers or teachings, yet are not challenged to an authentic renewal of the mind.

An authentic renewal of the mind is knowing and living God’s will (please read Romans 12 over and over again). This is a renewal of faithful integrity. It is knowing how our faith in Jesus Christ connects to our values, goals, and daily life choices. It is about resonating with God’s will in what I do with my money, choice of friends, and free time. It is caring about what God cares about.

My colleagues and I believe that real renewal will happen when Asian American Christians become builders and producers rather than consumers and comfort-seekers. In other words, when everything we do in life is motivated by a desire to see God’s will be accomplished on earth, we will truly understand what it means to live in faithful integrity. And that’s what EM 2.0 is all about!

By God’s grace, as CTCC continues to grow, there is a need to reconfigure the physical space here to better serve the needs of the church. Session has determined a 2-month period, from 3/15 to 5/15, where we will actively raise funds for Phase One of the Reconstruction Project. Please get a “Phase One Building Fund Faith Pledge Form” in the back of the Worship Hall. The form will be available until 5/15. Please take it home and lift up this project in your prayers. Then return the completed pledge form to the Finance deacons or place it in the offering bag as soon as possible, but no later than 5/15. Ed Chen [email Ed] or Arthur Saye [email Arthur] for more information.

MUSICAL CONCERT ON MOTHER’S DAY TO SUPPORT BUILDING PROJECT

Come to an exciting Musical Concert to support the Church Building Project on May 10th at 2 pm! Enjoy the talents of Canaan musicians, Over 10 programs, ranging from solos, choirs, to handbells & string quartets. Everyone is practicing hard to give their best to support this important ministry. This concert will conclude our Fundraising Drive for Phase One Rebuilding Project on 5/15. Come and show your support!

MISSIONS UPDATE

We are preparing for an exciting season of mission. Many of us will be going on Taiwan and Belize Short Term Missions. Vacation Bible School is gearing up. Please pray for everyone who is leading and participating!

If you are graduating from 5th grade, high school, college, or graduate studies, please send me a head shot by May 1 so that we can create our annual Promotion Sunday brochure. On the Sunday, 5th graders will join our worship service for the first time and will be welcomed.

FATHER’S DAY • JUNE 21

Go Mission Fund Raising, Short Term Mission Commissioning.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL (JULY 28-AUGUST 1)

Online registration for our popular Vacation Bible School (VBS) summer camp is open for students (grade 5 and younger) and volunteers (grade 6 to adult) at vbs.ecanaan.org. More info at vbs.ecanaan.org, or talk to Shirley Tai [email Shirley].

VBS shirts are now available for pickup in the Fellowship Hall VBS table for volunteers who completed registration. All VBS volunteers wear VBS shirts on 5/3 (VBS T-shirt Day) and join group photo at 11:20 on Fellowship Hall stage. Register at vbs.ecanaan.org as VBS volunteer this week to get your shirt and join the team!

ALL-CHURCH RETREAT • U.C. Santa Cruz (Aug 7-9, 2015)UPDATED!

We will have English Youth, English Adult, Children’s, Mandarin, and Taiwanese tracks. We’ll also be at Stevenson College where there are newly renovated housing accommodations. Registrations forms will be available this Sunday! Please take advantage of Early Bird registration which will end on 5/24. Registration fees during Early Bird registration period are $140 (13 years old and above), $70 (3-12 years old), and free for 2 year old and below (no bed allocated). Registration fees after Early Bird period are $160 (13 years old and above), $90 (3-12 years old), and free for 2 year old and below (no bed allocated). For more information and online registration, go to retreat.ecanaan.org.

Our English Adult track speaker will be Pastor Ted Kau and our Youth track speaker will be Becky Chiang-Luoh. Both the youth and adults will share the same theme: “Good and Faithful.”

Rachel Hung [email Rachel] and James Chang [email James] are representing the EM/YM on the retreat planning team. Please let them know if you are interested in helping!